


A Small Gift

by xCastielsGirlx



Series: Inquisitor Elley [4]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Anxiety, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Inquisitor Elley, Pre-Slash, Self-Indulgent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-27
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:21:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28368312
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xCastielsGirlx/pseuds/xCastielsGirlx
Summary: The Inquisitor gives Cullen a halla statue after Halamshiral, and they have a small conversation.
Relationships: Cullen Rutherford/Female Trevelyan
Series: Inquisitor Elley [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2077599
Kudos: 7





	A Small Gift

**Author's Note:**

> Set after Wicked Eyes Wicked Hearts, but before Here Lies the Abyss.

The journey back from the Winter Palace was arduous at best. Elley Trevelyan felt she could have done without the saddle-sore and biting winds as they moved higher up into the mountains. Was it too much to ask for Gaspard to have provided a carriage, especially after all they'd done to ensure he sat upon the Orlesian throne. But then again, she was an Inquisitor of the _people_. If her soldiers were marching and riding, then so was she. She'd be a liar if she said she didn't miss royal comforts, though.

Elley was brought out of her dismal thoughts by a snowball to the back of her head. She whipped around to see Sera giggling and sticking her tongue out. Elley grinned. _Oh it was on!_

-

Finally, after days of travel, Skyhold loomed in the distance. The whole travelling party let out a deep sigh of relief at the castle walls.

“Maker, I can't wait for a hot bath!” Dorian bemoaned, and Cassandra smirked from beside him in agreement. There was still a level of distrust between the two of them, but Elley was certain they were warming up to one another.

“Screw the bath, I can't wait for the tavern! I miss my room!” Sera declared dramatically, slumping on her mount. “Camping's all well and good for the road innit, but in the tavern I have _pillows_... and _drinks_!”

“I'll just be glad to have my feet on solid ground again,” Elley smiled.

-

The reception that greeted them was muted, but it made sense considering how many soldiers were still on the road from Val Royeaux. The party unloaded their supplies from the horses, and Elley waved off the helping hands politely. As she trudged up the many, _many_ stairs to her quarters -' _maker why are there so many?!'_ \- her thoughts wandered back to the ball. Elley had been stewing over her decisions for the better part of a week as they travelled back to Skyhold. Celene had been depending on them to protect her, and yet she'd watched as Florianne approached with a knife in hand, all as a part of The Game.

Elley dumped her bag unceremoniously beside her bed, and collapsed onto the soft feather-duvet, falling asleep almost instantly.

-

Her nightmares were filled with blood, betrayal, and the screams of those she was trying to protect.

-

When Elley awoke, it was to the soft sunrise in her face. She groaned and sat up, feeling grimy from the days of travel, and not changing before sleeping. With aching movements, she made her way over to the balcony, where her water bucket to a well was connected. It was hard work, pulling the full bucket to her, and she was sure she accidentally spilled some on an early-riser below, but eventually she had collected and warmed enough water to fill her round wooden tub. The final sprinkle of lavender and spindleweed had been added when she decided to climb in and submerge herself as far down as she could. Elley let out a deep and content sigh, and the nightmares faded to the back of her mind. Then, she started to scrub.

-

If there was one thing Elley hated, it was unpacking after a long mission. Usually she would ask one of the castle staff to assist, but today she very much felt like being left alone. The Game was exhausting at the best of times, and it had been almost a decade since she'd last played.

Elley sorted her items into three piles: laundry, research items, and loot. The laundry she threw to the corner of her room- she would sort that later-, and the research items she wrapped carefully in cloth, ready to give to Helisma in the library. That just left the loot to sort. On her bed were about five halla statues left over, as well as an assortment of rings and charms. She separated those she wished to sell, and put aside some she thought may be useful for her inner circle.

She stared at the halla statues, they stared back. Eventually, Elley shrugged and placed one above her fireplace. She hummed in satisfaction.

-

Having delivered her loot and research items, Elley had one halla statue left. Sure, she could have sold it, but it almost wrong, knowing what they had been used for. She was in thought for some time that before she knew it, her feet had stopped outside of Cullen's tower. She'd have walked right into the door if it weren't for a recruit opening it at the same time to step out. Reflexes kicking in, Elley dodged the incoming recruit, leaving him stumbling. She grabbed him by the back of the armour and steadied him.

“Sorry about that,” she muttered, and the recruit stared at her with wide eyes.

“No- no worries Inquisitor! I'll just be on my way!” and on his way he went, the tips of his ears red. Elley frowned slightly- surely all their recruits weren't that nervous around her?

“He just arrived this morning,” Cullen explained, making her jump at the sudden voice. The halla statue almost toppled out of her grip, and she managed to catch it.

“That would explain it,” Elley wondered aloud, looking around at anything but the commander. She had only been into the tower a handful of times, and had yet to take in the area fully. Was that a hole in the ceiling...?

“Is there something I can help you with, Inquisitor?” Cullen asked, breaking the silence. Elley snapped back to look at him.

“There's a hole in your ceiling- I'll get that looked into for you!” she stammered. Elley could feel her ears getting hot- why was it that she was always embarrassing herself in front of her advisors- her commander most of all? Cullen frowned and glanced up.

“Don't take away resources on my account- plus I like seeing the stars..” he added quietly. Elley withheld a sympathetic noise.

“But I doubt you came here to comment on my ceiling,” Cullen pressed, raising an eyebrow. He jumped when Elley placed the halla on his desk. She was well aware that her face was fully red now, and she was even starting to sweat, and _oh sweet maker I'm a mess- he hates me and thinks I'm weird and now I'm sweating and Andraste's tits why did I think this was a good idea?!_

“I thought you might want this,” she managed to choke out, stepping back from the desk as though it had teeth. Cullen blinked, looking from Elley to the halla, and then back to Elley. Now he knew why Varric called the woman Bright Eyes- she looked as though she'd been caught stealing in the torchlight, her eyes wide and panicked.

“You don't have to take it if you don't want to though! I just thought... well, I had some spare, and I didn't want to sell them, and I gave one to Solas and Blackwall and Cole, and I-”

Cullen raised a hand, and she stopped mid-ramble. He smiled gently at her, and Elley felt her heart skip an unhealthy amount of beats.

“Thank you for thinking of me, Inquisitor; and thank you for the gift.”

Cullen placed the halla atop one of his many bookcases. It was silent for a few moments, and Elley thought around desperately for a new subject.

“How did you find the ball?” she asked eventually. A look of distaste flashed across Cullen's face.

“I would not chose to attend another, given the choice. There were far too many people, and I could not make out most of their intentions.” a small dusting of pink crept up the back of Cullen's neck, and Elley felt her hands clench into fists. She may have been a blustering idiot when it came to some things, but she had enough social skills to recognise that the commander had been uncomfortable by all the attention, and he'd _known_ what those intentions had been. His yelped “Did you just touch my bottom?” still rang in Elley's ears, and still filled her with rage. She was glad she had taken action when she did.

“How did you find it?” Cullen asked. Elley was broken from thoughts of revenge by the sincerity of the question. She shrugged and scratched the back of her neck.

“Too many memories of home, not enough wine. Plus I only got to dance once, and _that_ was with Florianne,” Elley wrinkled her nose. Cullen eyed her thoughtfully.

“I didn't know you liked to dance. I suppose it would make sense with the way you led Florianne...” he thought aloud. Elley hummed thoughtfully, and leant on the desk.

“Honestly that was the first time I'd danced with a partner in about... seven years, I think? I couldn't bring myself to after my fiancé died, but I guess you never really forget the steps.” she wondered.

“You were engaged?”

The question threw Elley off-guard, and it was then that she realised how little she really shared with those around her. She smiled gently as she thought back to the man she was to marry all those years ago.

“Yes. He was a good man.” Elley looked up to see Cullen worrying his bottom lip.

“I had no idea, Inquisitor. If it's any consolation, I'm sorry for your loss.” Elley smiled at him gently, not missing the blush, but thinking nothing of it. It probably would be a bit embarrassing accidentally stumbling onto the topic of a dead loved one. There were a few further moments of silence, with Elley deep in thought, and Cullen staring at the halla.

“In any case, I'd better get back to the troops. They're starting a new regimen today and I'd like to be there.” Cullen stated. Elley started, thrown by the change in tone. She stood from the desk, wrapping her arms around herself.

“Yes, of course. Don't let me keep you! I'll be attending to.. Inquisitor stuff...” she trailed off awkwardly. Cullen patted her on the shoulder, and left the tower, which suddenly felt far emptier without his presence.


End file.
